The Royal Affair
by freedomatthesea
Summary: A month after the final curse was broken and all of Storybrooke could return to the Enchanted Forest, a ball is held in honor of Emma Swan - the future heir of the kingdom. But what will happen when a former one night tryst of Emma's drops by for a visit?
1. Chapter 1

"I honestly _can't_ breathe." Emma complained as she pressed her palms over her stomach, trying to take a full breath, but meeting the resistance of her corset. "Can you loosen it?"

"Your dress won't fit." The maid reminded her softly as she moved to the grand wardrobe and brought out Emma's ball gown. "Just remember how beautiful you'll look in this when you make your entrance."

Emma sighed, brows furrowing as she stared at the dress. "I don't even like dresses." She had tried her best not to complain about her lifestyle changes now that everyone had been returned to the Enchanted Forest. But certain aspects – like puffy dresses and tiaras were starting to wear on her nerves.

"Well you can't go to a ball without a dress, miss." The maid smiled at her, stepping towards her with the dress, "You'll look beautiful."

Emma glanced towards the large clock in the corner of the room, "I still have a couple hours until the ball, can you come in an hour to put me in this?" She smoothed her hand over the front of her bodice, trying to take a full breath.

"Of course." The maid bowed her head before returning the dress to the wardrobe and excusing herself from Emma's chambers.

The former sheriff glanced at her reflection in the mirror, her brows knit together and a frown gracing her lips. She hated how much she _hated_ living in the Enchanted Forest. She had thought that it had been bad the first time she'd come, when it was just living in the woods and trying to survive – but living in a castle, with obligations and dresses was ten times worse.

"_Emma_?"

Her eyes widened and she whirled around, glaring at the window. "Who's there?"

"Let me in lass."

There was only one man with that voice.

"Are you kidding me?" Emma let out a frustrated sigh, marching across the room to the window and throwing open the shutters. She leaned over the window sill, looking down the latticing. "What are_ you_ doing out here?"

"Have you missed me, love?" The charming pirate smirked up at her, finishing the climb up to her window.

"I-.." Emma's voice wavered as she stepped aside, watching as the pirate hauled himself through her window, collapsing to the floor. "Why are you here?"

Killian chuckled as he looked up at her, blinking his eyes a few times, before running a hand over his face with a sigh of exhaustion. "Well, I heard there was a ball." He pushed himself upright, sitting up and studying her current state of dress with a smirk, "I wasn't expecting to see you… so _undressed_."

Emma looked down at her clothes – she was dressed. To her a corset and petti-pants was fully dressed, "I'm completely covered so quit ogling me you idiot."

The pirate rolled his eyes, "It's been almost a month since you last saw me and _that_'_s_ how you great me, love?" He looked up at her from beneath his dark lashes, pleased when it drew a sultry smirk from her.

"You shouldn't be here, Killian." She swallowed shakily, "I told you _that_ changed nothing."

Killian pushed himself to his feet, stepping close to her, their noses almost brushing, "You know, there's going to be men down there who intend to _court_ the princess."

Emma wet her lips, lashes fluttering as she looked up at him. It was frustrating how easily he could make her heart hammer in her chest. "I'm not on the market for courting. I might be a princess, but I'm not a prize to be won."

"Are they really going to make you wear that?" Killian stepped past her, strolling over to the wardrobe to examine her cerulean blue dress.

She couldn't tell if her sudden shortness of breath was thanks to the corset or thanks to the pirate, but whichever it was she was left breathless as she watched him poking around in the wardrobe. "I really hate the dresses. I didn't sign up for this." She complained, laughing as Killian knocked the dress off of the hanger and he fought to hang it back up.

"Can you imagine if you'd be in one of these the day we climbed the beanstalk?"

Emma laughed, "I'd imagine that I wouldn't have climbed up with you."

Killian gave her a look, "Then I wouldn't have climbed the beanstalk."

"_Really_?"

"Did you really think I wanted to climb the beanstalk with a naïve little girl, a warrior who'd run me though with a blade, or your mother who would have probably shot me full of arrows? It was you and _only_ you."

There was her heart fluttering in her chest again, "I-… well it's a good thing I wasn't in a dress then."

"Indeed." Killian clicked his tongue against his teeth, a smirk on his lips. "I'm not going to complain about you wearing a dress _now_, but I certainly prefer you-" He looked her up and down, "Like this."

Emma rolled her eyes, "I don't." She took a strained breath, "I can't breathe in this thing."

"Shall I divest you of it then?" His eyes lit up at the prospect, his tongue drawing along his bottom lip as he moved towards her.

"The maid's going to be back soon to get me in the dress." Emma gave him a tight lipped smile, trying to hide her interest in his words. "Sorry."

"You're not sorry," His eyes were hooded as he stepped towards her, circling behind her. "You know, there's one thing that can get my blood pumping with very little hesitation." Killian whispered in a low voice, his lips close to her ear.

"What's that?" Emma's eyes were drawn to the mirror, admiring how _right_ the two of them looked beside each other. The contrast of her blond hair beside his dark, the differences in height that was suited perfectly to one another.

"Bodice laces." Killian hooked his fingers in the laces, giving them a tug, chuckling at the way she sucked in sharply. "Are you _sure_ you don't want me to help you out of this?"

"Lock the door." Emma twisted around, looking up at him, "_Now_."

"As you wish _princess_." Killian's brows quirked upwards, chuckling at the look on her face, before he turned on his heels and headed to lock her chamber door.

"You know I really, _really_ hate that word." Emma put her hands on her hips, glaring at him as if she were truly irritated with him, "But I think I'm going to make an exception for _you_." She canted her head to the side, giving him a look.

"I think you've made a lot of exceptions for me and you just haven't realized it yet." Killian returned to her, flicking his tongue over his bottom lip as he looked down at her, "You say you won't be won by courting, but I'm fairly certain that _this_ could be called courting."

"You can't court someone you've already-" Emma's words came to a halt as she realized what she was saying, "I mean…"

He chuckled, bringing his hand to her waist, his thumb brushing over the boning that made her waist seem so drastically curved. "Were you just implying that I've already won you?"

"No." Emma forced her brows together, casting her eyes away from his too-blue and too observant eyes. "I was just saying that… you're courting me."

"And I'm the _only_ one apparently." Killian drawled out, nudging her chin up with the curve of his hook, smiling at her, "Even after you said that what we had was a '_this changes nothing, one time_ mistake'." He leaned in and pressed his lips to hers, his lips lingering against hers, "Did you think about?"

"I couldn't stop." Emma admitted, her fingers brushing over the hair at the nape of his neck. "And that _really_ pissed me off because I didn't know if I was going to see you here."

"I always find you don't I?" Killian questioned, his eyes meeting hers, "Even when I don't intend to."

"But you clearly intended to find me today." Emma retorted with an arched brow, "Were you afraid of competition?"

"That and I'm also a fair bit afraid of the guards." Killian widened his eyes with a sarcastic look, "They seemed a bit gung-ho with their swords when I scaled the palisades."

"Were you trying to get killed?"

"No. That would defeat the whole point of coming here." He dipped in and kissed her again, "Do you think there's a chance I might be permitted to attend the ball?"

Emma pressed her lips together; her eyes cast downwards, "I don't think it's a safe idea. I mean… it's a masquerade, there's every chance if you keep your mask on no one will know it's you, but…" She grabbed a hold of his hook, "This is a bit of a dead giveaway."

Killian pulled away from her and pulled off his satchel, digging around in it until he found what he wanted, "I don't go anywhere without my attachments." He flashed her a flirting grin, "Now no one will know that it's me."

"Except for me." Emma smirked, drawing her tongue over her bottom lip, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, "You better not dance with anyone else."

"The same goes for you _princess_, your pirate might get envious if someone else is fondling his treasures."

Emma burst into laughter, before realizing that the corset made it hard to laugh as much as she wanted, "Oh, you're _my_ pirate now?"

"Aye," Killian agreed, looking down at her with adoring eyes, brushing his knuckles over her cheek, "How long have we?"

"Not nearly long enough," Emma replied, moving her arms to rest over his shoulders, pulling him closer, "If you think you can get me in and out of this corset, before my maid comes back, I'm more than willing to go back on my words from the last time."

"Which were those?" Killian smirked knowingly.

Emma slapped his cheek playfully, "I think they sounded a bit like-" Oh, she could repeat her promise that this would never happen again _or_ she could work him up a bit. She leaned forward, breath dancing over his ear as her lips brushed his ear lobe, "_Take me now Captain_."

Killian growled, his fingers hooking into the laces as he turned her around sharply, "I see someone's well on their way to being a commanding princess."

Emma shuddered at the tone in his words, her back arching as his fingers worked the laces open, the bodice loosening its hold on her and slipping down her arms. "Thank you for releasing me from that."

"My pleasure." He trailed his fingers down her back, relishing her warmth. "You're significantly less dressed than I am, that's hardly fair."

Emma turned around, her eyes meeting his, hooded with desire. "Well, then let's get you out of this." Without hesitation, Emma started to pull his shirt over his head – just in time for someone to knock on her door.

"Wait a moment." Emma called, giving Killian a nervous look as she quickly moved to her wardrobe and grabbed a robe, concealing the fact that her bodice was off. She motioned, silently, for him to move out of the line of sight of the door, as she opened it slowly.

"Are you ready to get into your dress?"

"I'm _really _dreading getting in that dress right now, so how about you come back in another hour. That would leave us plenty of time to get me in the dress."

"We'll be cutting it close."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips, "I know, but… I'm just not ready to get in it yet."

"Of course, m'lady." The maid dipped in a slight bow, before hurrying off down the corridor.

"Jesus Christ." Emma swore as she shut the door, locking it again. "That was nerve-racking." She turned around, smirking as her eyes fell on his bare chest. "I see you went ahead and got rid of your shirt."

"Well, it sounds like we've got _very_ limited time. I'd hate to have to wait till the end of the dance."

"That's _if_ you don't get thrown out of the ball for being such a dishonorable, _villainous_ man." Emma pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheek, batting her lashes up at him. Her fingers toyed with the tie at her side, the one keeping her robe on. "So, where were we?" She questioned as she dropped the robe from her shoulders.

"We were right here," Killian leaned in and caught her lips, drawing her close to him, savoring the sensation of skin against skin.

Emma's fingers trailed down his arms, tracing over the scars that marred his skin. She still had them memorized from the last time they had been together. Ever since their return to the Enchanted Forest, she had relived that evening with Killian. The eve before the battle, emotions were high, desires were on fire, and they'd ended up pressed against the bars of the cell in the station. She'd sworn it was just a one night stand, but clearly the emotions they'd realized were stronger than her promise to herself.

Killian walked them backwards towards her bed, hauling her upright and tossing her backwards onto the bed, following after her. "The clothes here are so much more convenient for me." He chuckled as he unlaced the ties that were holding her petti-pants closed, slipping them down her hips.

"Yes _of course_, I came to the Enchanted Forest and became a princess, all for ease of access for you." Emma retorted with a deadpan expression, slipping her hand down his abdomen, working on pulling the laces out of his leather trousers.

"That's what I thought." Killian chuckled at her comment, holding her gaze as he leaned in to trail kisses along her collarbone, his fingers trailing over the valley between her breasts. A groan escaped his lips, his eyes widening, as she took him in her hand, teasingly stroking him. "_Emma_."

"Yes?" She smirked, biting down on her bottom lip as he dipped in to kiss where his fingers had previously been.

"Minx." He let his teeth graze over the underside of her breast, his breath dancing over her sensitive skin. "Time's of the essence, love."

"I thought you'd want to make this count, in case you're banished from our kingdom." Emma's voice lit with teasing sarcasm as she brought her hand away from him, pushing his trousers down his hips.

"Banishing me from the kingdom won't do a damn thing - I'll find a way back." Killian kissed back up her chest, claiming her mouth again as he settled his knees between her legs, groaning against her lips as she curled her legs around his waist.

Emma nipped at his bottom lip, her tongue brushing out over the skin she had caught between her teeth. Without a moment's notice, Emma rolled them over, pressing her palms against his chest, looking down at him with a grin. "I couldn't resist."

"By all means do as you wish," Killian drawled out, resting his hand on her hip, his breath coming out shakily. "This way, your hair won't get ruined."

"Oh? You're concerned about my hair?" Emma's brow quirked upwards as she leaned forward and caught his lips, rolling her hips teasingly. Her hair fell around them like golden curtains and a soft whimper escaped her mouth when he tangled his fingers in her hair, tugging softly.

Killian growled against her lips when she started grinding her hips against him again, his resolve starting to slowly come undone. "_Emma_."

"I'm right here." She punctuated her comment with a sharp rock of her hips, making herself gasp at the friction.

"Stop teasing." Killian complained, releasing her curls and grabbing ahold of her hip to keep her still.

"But I'm enjoying this." Emma pouted, looking down at him, pressing her palms against his chest as he started to try to roll them over.

"I thought you said time was of the essence. Do you want to waste _all_ of our time?" Killian arched a brow, meeting her eyes. "This isn't how you thank someone for removing you from the bondage of a corset."

"You're incorrigible." She rolled her eyes, letting him roll them back over, a smirk returning to her lips as he kissed her again, their tongues tangling with each other. Her legs wrapped around him, gasping as he finally rolled his hips forward and claimed her.

"_Killian_."

"We've made progress," He chuckled, pleased that she chose to call him Killian instead of Hook. A pleasant turn of events. "_Gods_, Emma." Killian kissed her again, resting his hand at her hip to hold her steady as he thrust into her, taking his time, despite the clock ticking against them.

Emma scraped her nails down his back, leaving a trail of red flesh in their wake, her hips rocking against him, meeting his thrusts. Nothing had _ever_ felt like this – she'd never felt this sort of connection with another living soul. And that was the terrifying part of the whole situation. _Captain Hook_ made her feel something that no one else had ever made her feel.

The little slip of her tongue had been far more telling of what she was feeling than she'd wanted it to be. Because she was _his_ and part of her hoped that he could be _hers_. It was overwhelming to finally feel complete with someone. And right now, he was feeling a lot like _home_.

Her legs tightened around him, her back arching off of the bed when he slipped his hand between them, his fingers seeking to torment her further. "Killian!"

Killian groaned her name, his breath catching in his throat, his hips starting to move forward with uneven thrusts, the white hot heat starting to blur his vision.

Emma cried out, seeking anywhere on him for purchase as her release washed over her, his name falling from her lips over and over again. They stilled, clinging to each other for a long moment in silence, savoring the warmth and the weight of each other in their arms.

Neither said it, not now and maybe not ever. But the feeling of place was there, the sensation that they didn't have to keep looking for somewhere to call home, because they'd found it – in each other's arms.

"I need to get up now." Emma muttered, pressing her forehead against his shoulder with a heavy sigh. "And _you_ need to help me into my corset."

"And how am I supposed to do _that_?" Killian smirked, rolling off of her begrudgingly and leaning over the edge of the bed to grab his pants, starting to pull them on again.

"You _said_ that you would put it back on me."

"I can't do that with one hand, love. You're on your own."

"_Killian Jones_." Emma snapped, clambering out of the bed and following after him as he went to find his shirt. "I'll call the guards on you if you think about leaving without fixing what you've done."

"Call your maid," He retorted with a saucy grin, pulling his shirt on, before picking up her bodice and throwing it at her. "You're on your own, love."

Emma glared at him, "I swear to God if you walk out that door right now you're getting your ass hauled off by guards if you try to dance with me tonight."

"You have a maid for a reason."

"_Right_. I'll just tell her that a pirate came in my window, we fucked, and then left me bodiceless." Emma's hands went to her hips and she didn't give a damn about the fact that she was stood in front of him stark naked. "_Killian_."

"Emma, love, I need to go down and get ready for the ball." He started to walk backwards, holding her gaze. "I'll see you down at the ball."

Emma moved to put herself between him and the door, barring him from leaving, "_Please_ don't leave me to explain this to my maid."

"They don't talk. Ladies maids are the best secret keepers." Killian gave her an innocent smile, before letting his shoulders sag as he walked forward, holding his hand out for the bodice, "Turn around and we'll see what we can do."

"Thank you." Emma let out a breath of relief, slipping her arms through the sleeves and wrapping the boning around her waist, "Thank you."

"It's no problem at all," Killian whispered, kissing the column of her neck as he drew up the laces slowly, taking his time in lacing her back up. "Now you won't have to call the guards on me."

"I wouldn't have anyways," Emma glanced over her shoulder at him, smiling at him. "How would I get you out of the dungeons?"

"I think you'd find a way." Killian chuckled, finishing the last lace, pulling it taut and bending down to use his mouth the finish the knot. "There, are you happy now?"

"You have no idea," She replied, turning around to look up at him. She hadn't smiled this much since coming to the castle and she didn't think she would smile this much unless he was with her. "I'll see you down in the Great Hall," She tilted her head, meeting his eyes.

"You better dance with me." He quipped, leaning in to steal a kiss before pulling away from her and starting to unlock the door.

"Emma-"

"Mary Margaret!" Emma gasped, her eyes locking on Killian's as he hid behind the door, unable to hide anywhere else before the Queen was in her daughter's bedroom. "Hi, hello – um, was there something you needed?" Emma flustered, eyes wide as her mother slipped into her room.

"The guards have warned me that _that_ ruffian was scene on the grounds."

"Who?" Emma asked innocently, thankful that as her mother turned to face her, Killian had slipped beneath her bed.

"Hook."

"Oh."

Mary Margaret sighed heavily, "I just wanted to warn you that he might attempt to attend the ball tonight, for some unusual reason." She gave her daughter a look, "You wouldn't know anything about this – would you?"

"Me? No." Emma shook her head, adamant that it was the truth. "I haven't seen him since the battle."

"Good. Pirates have no place here in the castle, _especially_ one like him."

"Of course," She agreed, turning her head as someone else knocked on her door, "Come in."

"Are you ready to change for the ball, m'lady?"

"Yes." Emma agreed with a heavy sigh, her eyes flickering to the bed for a brief moment before she moved to stand in front of the mirror, taking her place to be dressed.

"I promise you, you'll get used to the dresses." Mary Margaret smiled, chuckling at her daughter's resistance.

"There are a lot of things that I still have to get used to here." Emma frowned, her eyes drawn to the bed again. Like why _Killian_ – not Hook, couldn't be accepted her. He'd done so many awful things and she knew that, but she saw that _that_ man was Captain Hook, not Killian Jones. There was a difference and maybe only she could really see it, but it was there.

Killian Jones had been the man that took her up the beanstalk, but Captain Hook was the man that she'd seen every time Rumplestiltskin had come into the picture. But he was gone now. Even if everyone saw Captain Hook, she saw Killian Jones – the man that was trying to find his place now that his three hundred years of revenge was over with. He was in the place that she had been in, when she'd first realized _who_ she was. She knew that she was meant to be in Storybrooke and that it was where she was supposed to be, but it still didn't fit and that was what Killian was facing now.

The Enchanted Forest was supposed to be his home – but he didn't fit in there anymore because he had _changed_.

"If you see him, don't hesitate to call the guards on him."

Emma nodded distantly, her skin still warm from his touch. "Of course." She looked towards the bed again, catching his eyes. A smile lit his lips and she couldn't help but feel it curve her own lips. There was no doubt that he felt this too.


	2. Chapter 2

Emma's patience was starting to wear thin and the dancing had yet to even begin. She'd greeted close to one hundred men, whom her mother had kindly informed her were vying for her hand eventually. She wasn't certain how many times she was going to have to stress that she did _not_ want to marry anyone. She had Henry, she had her parents, and she had a lifestyle to adjust to that was grossly out of her league. She didn't need potential marriage offers looming over her head. Just because she was a princess didn't mean she wanted a _prince_. In fact, she didn't want a prince at all – she knew exactly what sort of man she wanted.

Her eyes flickered around the Great Hall, seeking out the leather clad masked man who had only just recently left her bed chamber.

_That_ was the type of man she wanted if she had to choose someone. And she was fairly certain that she'd chosen him a long time ago and no one else was going to make her feel the way he did. As much as that irritated her to acknowledge.

If she wanted him to pursue her and _not_ get killed, it was going to be a trying ordeal for both of them. It all stemmed back to the final battle in Storybrooke and all of the events prior to that. She knew he wasn't necessarily a good man, but she also knew he wasn't a bad man. She'd felt how he felt, hurt and confused and vengeful. Part of the reason why she'd been in the job she'd been in was because of Neal, and the fact that she wanted nothing more than to lock up lying sons of bastards like him. But no one else seemed to see that what Killian had worked towards for three hundred years, was no different at the roots.

She could look past the innuendos and the cocky, self-assured, pirate and see the broken man. If others had been given second chances, why couldn't he?

"Do we really need this many guards here tonight?" Emma questioned, giving David a disappointed look.

He pressed his lips together, "We're taking every precaution to make sure Hook doesn't turn up."

"You know he's really wasn't that bad."

Charming laughed incredulously, "He took a _crowbar_ to my head."

"Gold beat him several times with his cane."

"_After_ he shot Belle."

"He'd already beaten him before that."

"He shot Belle."

Emma frowned, there were some unforgivable things that he had done. She knew that, but there were redeemable events. "He fought_ with_ us."

"Since when did you become his advocate?" His hands went to her hips and he gave Emma a stern look.

"Look, David," Emma sighed heavily, shaking her head, "Never mind, it doesn't matter. He's not stupid enough to come here and get himself killed."

"M'lady?"

Emma and the Prince turned towards the speaker – Killian Jones, hidden beneath an elaborate red and silver mask that concealed who he was.

"Yes?" Emma sucked in a sharp breath, casting her eyes towards her father warily. He hadn't seemed to notice that this man was the very man they'd just been discussing.

"I do believe that they're about to being the dance and I was curious as to whether or not your first dance has been _claimed_."

Emma felt her cheeks flush beneath her mask, "It hasn't been."

"Would you do me the honor?"

"Yes." She smiled at him, locking eyes with his too-blue ones, before tearing away to look at David, "If you'll excuse me."

Killian extended his hand for her, hesitating for a moment as she rested her hand over his false hand, he leaned close to her ear as they walked away from the Prince, "You know, it was quite intoxicating to hear you standing up for me."

"How long were you listening?" Emma cast him a surprised look, ignoring the heat that rose to her skin.

"Long enough." He smirked, guiding her towards the other couples preparing for the dance. "Now, does the _princess_ know how to waltz?"

"Fair enough, I guess." She met his eyes and she swore her heart skipped a beat. "You look nice in that red vest."

Killian looked down, smoothing his hand over the velveteen fabric, "I haven't worn it in three hundred years."

Her eyes widened, "Wow."

He leaned in and whispered close to her ear, "I wore it for you."

Emma swallowed shakily, "It's appreciated."

"I'd tell you how beautiful you look in that dress, but I'm assuming you've heard enough compliments from this crowd of people to last you a lifetime." Killian chuckled, his eyes flickering to her lips as she brushed her tongue over them.

"It wouldn't be the _crowd_ complimenting me – it would be _you_." Emma corrected, smirking up at him, "Unless you prefer my previous state of undress."

He pressed his tongue to the inside of his cheek, "You've got me there. I much prefer the beauty of your bare skin against mine." He kept his voice low, his eyes on hers.

Emma shuddered, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, "Dammit Killian, _we_ have a very long night to endure, stop it."

"You're no fun." Killian drawled out, mocking a frown as the music started to play, drawing the rest of the couples towards the dance floor.

"Oh, if I'm no fun I'll be sure to remember that tonight."

Killian's brows shot up, "Is the _princess_ inviting me back to her chamber tonight?" He rested his hand on her waist, letting her take his false hand in hers, regretting that he was unable to wrap his fingers around hers as they danced.

"I might be. If you behave." Emma gave him a tightlipped smile, her eyes twinkling with mischief. She didn't know, exactly, what had changed between their supposed last time and now. Maybe it was the fact that their first time had felt like it was propelled by the impending battle and the need to not feel alone in the hours that could have been their last, but now there was a world of possibility and an undeniable connection between them.

"Your father's eyeing us." Killian whispered, as they swept across the dance floor, close to where Snow and Charming danced.

"He shouldn't be able to tell who you are." Emma cast a wary glance over Killian's shoulder, meeting her father's eyes for a brief moment before the dance led the two couples away from each other. "I'll keep an eye on the guards."

"Well, let us hope that they don't realize _who_ I am and you get to keep up that little bargain you made with me."

"Which was?" Emma's lashes fluttered under the look he gave her.

"You said that if I behave, I get to come up to your chamber tonight."

"Oh," Emma sucked in a shaky breath, "I guess getting sent to the dungeons would put a bit of a damper on that." He brought her closer to him, his nearness making her heart pound in her chest. "Stop looking at me like that."

"Why?"

"Because he's probably watching us so carefully _because_ you're not acting like some stranger from afar who asked to dance with me."

"It's hard to go from lover to stranger in only a few hours, Emma." Killian admitted, his lips twitching with the smirk he was trying to conceal.

"Tell me about it." Emma flustered, her words coming out far breathier than she'd expected. "I'll be honest with you, right now…" She leaned up so her lips were close to his ear, "I'd like nothing more than –"

"Emma!"

Emma pulled away from Killian quickly, turning around to face _both_ of her parents' irritated glares. "Yes?" She hadn't really noticed until right now that the music had long since stopped playing.

"Could you remove your mask, sir." Though Charming had phrased it as a question with the false sense of decision allowed, his tone commanded for the mask to be removed.

Emma caught sight of guards starting to come closer, and she placed herself in between Killian and her parents. "Before you do something stupid-"

Killian stepped beside her, his fingers brushing over back briefly, "Love, there's no point in trying to conceal to who I am any longer." His voice betrayed him, wavering on his words as he brought his hand up to remove his mask.

"_Emma_." Mary Margaret chastised, meeting her daughter's gaze, "You knew that he was here?"

Before Emma could reply, the guards had grabbed Killian, ready to draw swords if he fought back. "Really gentleman? Is such force needed? I'm unarmed." Killian tried to laugh through the pain of having his arms forced behind his back at an awkward angle.

"Please let him go." Emma begged, following after the guards as they dragged him from the Great Hall, her parents right behind them.

"Emma what the hell is wrong with you?" David questioned, "After _everything_ he's done?"

"That's in the past."

Mary Margaret caught her daughter's hands, squeezing them reassuringly, "Emma, he doesn't belong here."

"Neither does David." Emma snapped, "He was a _shepherd boy_ not a prince."

"Don't bring your father into this mess."

"I'll bring whomever I damn well please into this," She jerked her hands from her hold, marching over to where the guards held Killian, "Release him."

The remained unmoving.

"Look, love, let me spend the night in the dungeon-" Killian's attempt at a chivalrous speech was cut off when Emma's lips met his and even the kiss was cut short when the guards jerked him backwards away from her.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, meeting his eyes sadly.

"Emma, what are you-" Snow tried to be understanding, but right now everything Emma was doing seemed completely out of her character. But something tugged at her thoughts, remembering that the looks Emma shared with Killian were the same looks that she had shared in the beginning days with Charming. "Guards, let him go."

"Snow… what are you doing?" Charming's brows shot together and he looked between his wife and the pirate.

"I'm doing the _right_ thing." Snow explained, smiling at her daughter, "You've let your walls down."

"I didn't have much of a choice," Emma laughed, turning her head to look up at Killian. "The damn pirate saw my walls and just went ahead and scaled them."

"Literally and figuratively," Killian smirked, before turning his attention back to Charming, "Look, _mate_, I know we're not on good terms and maybe we never will be but… I'm not going anywhere. Unless _Emma_ tells me to go."

"And I don't have any intentions of telling you to go anywhere." Emma let out a breath that she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. "And I know that _Captain Hook_ has a bit of a sordid past, but I'm not looking at that man right now."

Killian shook his head, "You've rarely had to see him, love." He looked back to her parents, "Well, what do you two say?"

Snow nudged Charming in the ribs when he started to speak, "We say that whoever Emma has _chosen_ is who we chose too."

Emma reached for Killian's hand, their fingers lacing. Everything had happened so fast, but at the same time it felt like the buildup to this point had started before she'd even met Killian. Little things that fell into place on their own accord that led them to each other. "Thank you." She said quietly, a weight lifted from her shoulders. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm _so_ done with this corset right now."

"Call for your maid to help you out of it."

Emma cast her mother a smirk as she started to head towards her chamber, Killian following behind her.

"Am I your new maid?" He teased, arching an inquisitive brow at her.

"Only if you promise to get me out of this dress and _not_ put me back in it." Emma laughed as she pushed her bedchamber door open for them. "I can't believe that she just… let you go."

"I'm exceedingly grateful of that fact however," Killian chewed on his bottom lip, toeing off his boots with a huff, "I wasn't really wanting to spend the night in the dungeon."

"I wasn't wanting to spend the night alone." Emma said quietly, her eyes widening as she realized that she'd said spoken her thoughts aloud. "I-…" She glanced down to the floor and then back up at him, "I'm guessing it's a little too late to hide feelings isn't it?"

"I had trouble hiding feelings during the battle." Killian admitted, stepping towards her slowly. "Especially after you cut down and told me, at great lengths, how our _one _night ranked up there with some of your worst mistakes in your life."

"I was scared." Emma shrugged, crossing her arms across her chest, "I had never felt… like that before. I brushed it off and I guess I thought it was because of the whole impending doom thing."

Killian nodded in agreement, "It had been a long time since I _let_ myself feel what I felt that night."

"You know you're comment to _me_ in another cell was pretty cutting to me."

"Are you talking about when I told you I was done with you?" He smirked, resting his hand on her hip, "Because I think you've noticed by now that I am _not_ done with you."

Emma fluttered her lashes, looking up at him, "I hadn't noticed actually. How about you get me out of this bodice and prove to me that you're not done with me."

"I think I can do that." He smirked, circling around behind her, fingers starting to unlace the ties of her dress. "Blue is a beautiful color on you, Emma."

"It reminds me of the sea," Emma replied, glancing over her shoulder at him with a smile, "And your eyes."

Killian couldn't conceal the little smug smirk that sprang to his lips as he tugged the last lace from its loop. "How's that?"

"I'm still in my corset," Emma narrowed her eyes at him as she stepped out of the dress, picking it up and carrying it over to her wardrobe, storing it away. "So, you tell me whether I'm go or not."

"I mean, to be honest, I quite like the view right now." Killian drew his tongue over his bottom lip, giving her a hungry look, "I might just keep you in that for a while."

"Fuck you." Emma retorted with her tightlipped little 'fuck you' smile.

"_Princesses_ don't talk like that." Killian wagged a finger at her, his eyes meeting hers with a light of mischief in them.

"Well, if that's how you're going to play it, I'll remind you that _princesses_ don't let strange men into their bedchambers. Especially not _pirates_."

He narrowed his eyes, "I'm an exception though, aren't I?"

Emma shrugged her shoulders with a little indifferent sigh, making a show of letting her hips sway as she walked towards her bed, loosening her curled hair from the ties that held it up as she went.

"If you're going to be this much trouble," He smirked at her, before turning to look at her chamber door, "I'll just return to the ball and find someone else to spend the night with."

Emma arched a brow, knowing full well that he wasn't going _anywhere_. "Alright."

"Really?"

"Really."

Killian met her eyes with his own arched brow, "Well, love, I didn't expect you'd be so keen to have _your_ pirate seek comfort in another woman."

"Oh you wouldn't be _my_ pirate if you walked out that door," She replied with a look of challenge in her eyes, "Either that or the ball will get quite the surprise when I come down to the ball clad only in this and drag a pirate down to the dungeons by his ear."

"Sounds…. Thrilling." He retorted with a deadpanned tone, before turning on his heels and walking back towards her, coming to a halt directly in front of her. "However there's a chance that you've ruined me for other women."

"You say that like it's a bad thing." Emma tilted her chin upwards, trying to hide her coy little smirk.

"Well it is if you've been a man of many women for-" His words were cut off as she slipped her arms over his shoulders and leaned up to catch his lips, kissing him with more force than he was expecting in that moment. Killian wrapped his arms around her waist, bringing her close to him.

He hadn't known what to expect when he set off on this journey to find Emma. Part of him had known that he'd find her feeling the same way about him that he felt about her, but the other part of him had been partially terrified that she was going to have his arse hauled off to the dungeons. And Killian Jones wasn't afraid of much. But Emma.. Emma was different.

Three hundred years he'd fought towards one goal and then one day, he looked up and saw _her_. And that was the first time that he'd seriously contemplated giving up his vengeance, until she'd betrayed him.

Now he had proof that what he felt wasn't unrequited.

Emma scraped her teeth over his bottom lip, her eyes meeting his, "Get me out of this corset or you're sleeping on the floor tonight."

"You've been here for how long?" Killian teased, his fingers seeking out the laces behind her, "A month? You're already being bossy like a royal."

Emma cocked her head to the side, giving him a look. "Keep digging your hole, buddy."

"I'm unlacing you right now, aren't I?" He rolled his eyes, stepping around her to focus on the laces instead of the little faces she was making at him. "Calm down."

"You can breathe, I can't."

Killian gave a snort of laughter, "I was hoping you'd say '_I want the corset off so it's only you taking my breath away'_."

"Keep dreaming." She retorted with a sigh as the laces started to come apart, letting her finally take a breath with the full capacity of her lungs. "I'm never wearing a corset again, so long as I can help it."

"Then you should have let me rip it off of you." Killian whispered, wrapping his arm around her waist, and resting his lips against the curve of her neck. "It's much more fun that way."

"How about next time?"

Killian smirked, flicking his tongue out against her skin, "I'm getting a next time?"

"Several, if you behave."

"Are you trying to _tame_ me Swan?" He questioned, his fingers sliding up her stomach, "I didn't know that I'd have to change for the two of us to be together."

"Well, you're having an affair with a royal, did you really think I'd could just let you get away things?"

"I was rather hopeful." Killian shrugged, pursing his lips. "I thought there might be perks to being in an elicit romance with a princess."

"Oh? Have you had perks with _previous_ princesses?"

"You're my first."

"And you _never_ forget your first, someone said once before." She smirked, turning around to face him. "I think that's a quote from some nefarious pirate I climbed a beanstalk with once."

"Was he handsome?"

"Unfortunately not." Emma pressed her tongue to the inside of her cheek, looking up at him from beneath her lashes, "Hideous old man. I think he was pushing three hundred or something."

"Three hundred and thirty-two." Killian corrected, "But age is merely relative."

Emma laughed, "It may be relative, but it surely didn't help him be attractive. I mean, he had this stupid scar on his cheek," She trialed her finger over the curved scar, meeting his eyes, "_Dull_ blue eyes." She slid her fingers through his hair, giving it a light tug, "Rather unbecoming black hair and scruff that did nothing for him."

"Sounds like _some_ guy." Killian feigned ignorance, "I hope you didn't _fall_ for him or anything."

"I couldn't have fallen for him if I tried." Emma lied, stepping closer to him, brushing her fingers over his red vest, enjoying the texture beneath her fingers. "Now that we've gotten me out of my corset, I think it's time to get you out of this."

"It was time to get me out of this ten minutes ago." He replied, starting to work the buttons loose, never taking his eyes off of her. "Thank you for standing up for me Emma."

"I was standing up for myself as well. I wasn't going to let David convince me that what I felt for you was stupid. Because it's _not_." Emma tightened her hold on the velveteen material, sighing heavily. "I've never felt like this before."

"Neither have I, love." Killian leaned in and kissed her gently, his fingers stroking through her hair. "There's something undeniable between us."

Emma fumbled to push the vest over his shoulders, working on removing his shirt no sooner than the vest fell to the floor. She _needed_ to feel his skin against hers, to feel that tingle of energy beneath her skin everywhere he touched her. It made her wonder if this was what her parents felt, the pull and the need, the _magic_.

Killian growled against her lips as her nails scraped down his back, making him arch beneath her touch. "_Emma_." He stepped forward, making her step backwards towards the bed, taking each step agonizingly slow. Even with the promise of tomorrow and a next time, he wanted to make tonight last. Because, tonight marked the start of something new and exciting and slightly terrifying. There was a world of the unknown ahead of them, uncharted waters and it was the only way to go. There was no _not_ doing this.

Her legs hit the back of the bed and she pushed herself onto it before he had a chance, her fingers tucking into the waist of his leather pants and pulling him to her, needing him to be close to her. "We forgot to lock the door." She gritted her teeth as she looked up at him, "If we don't lock it, someone is bound to interrupt."

Killian groaned, pulling away from her and making short work of the distance between the bed and the door, locking the door quickly, and returning to bed with her. "And we wouldn't want to be interrupted would we?"

"No." She whispered, leaning in and kissing him as she loosened the knot of the laces on his pants, slowly starting to tug them open, slipping her hands beneath his trousers. She tilted her head, deepening the kiss, her tongue darting out to meet his, warring silently between their mouths. Her hand moved slowly over him, enjoying the fact that her teasing drew groans from his lips.

"_Minx_." He broke away from her lips, sucking in a deep, shaky breath and pulling her hand away from him. "Keep that up and I promise you that this night will end far sooner than either of us would like it too."

Emma fluttered her lashes with mock innocence, "I have no idea what you mean." She flicked her tongue over her bottom lip, giving him a sultry smirk. "If you think that you might not last, maybe you should take a little breather."

"Or maybe I should get you out of these." Killian said with a growl as she tried to squirm out from under him, his fingers tightening in the fabric of her petti-pants. He lowered himself down her body, using his lips and fingers to work the laces of her pants lose, taking his sweet time with each tie.

Her back arched against the mattress when he brushed his lips over her stomach, trailing kisses along her newly exposed hipbone, but completely avoiding where she wanted his touch the most. It was frustrating to _want_ someone as much as she wanted him. He made her come completely undone with even the slightest look, making her drop any pretense of ignorance at what they had. There was no coming back from any of this. There was only _do_ at this point there was no _don't_.

Her fingers tugged at his hair, a soft cry escaping her as his lips found sensitive skin, heat rising in her stomach. "_Kil-.. ian_."

"Yes, love?" He questioned, pulling away from his ministrations with a smug smirk at her frustration.

She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes meeting his blue ones, "Bastard."

Killian rested his chin on her stomach, holding her gaze unmoving, "Did you want something."

"Funnily enough I did." She huffed, "I want _you_."

"You'll be pleased to know then-" He slowly crawled up the bed, pressing kisses along her skin as he did, taking as long as he pleased to drag out the moment. Killian finally came to face to face with her, a smug smirk meeting her frustrated gaze, "I want you too."

Emma wrapped her legs around his hips, a gasp escaping her lips as rocked his hips against her teasingly, "Stop teasing Killian."

"But I'm having fun." He retorted, mocking her with the words she'd used on him earlier in the day.

"I promise it'll be more fun if you just comply," She caught his lips with hers, her fingers curling in the hair at the nape of his neck. She poured out her frustration in the kiss, letting go of the built up tension and frustration of the evening, melting into his kiss. Emma moaned against his lips when he _finally_ thrust forward, ending her wait.

She had a feeling that whatever it was that they had, be it the infamous True Love that she had assumed she'd never have, or be it the greatest royal love affair the Enchanted Forest had ever seen, she knew one thing for certain – there were going to be a lot of challenges issued and defeated between the two of them in the coming days and she was going to love every last minute of it.


End file.
